Gormax
Player: Abi Race: Half-Orc Class: Alchemist/Gunslinger Gormax was born in Rustleland, to the famed warrior woman Drea “Doomhammer”. Drea was known throughout the town as a fearless warrior, always ready to take on the Wretches at a moment’s notice. She was the only survivor of the party she’d gone on her first Great Purge with, though she returned very different from how she left, returning with the hammer that became her namesake. In the second Great Purge, she ventured out alone. She returned wielding a rather impressive warhammer alongside her namesake hammer. This new hammer was ornate, of exquisite craftsmanship. Drea claimed that the new warhammer had belonged to a dwarf of the Khazar Glorak she’d met in the Wretches. She swore to return the weapon to his family, as she claimed this dwarf had saved her life and told his tale to all who would hear it about how it was his sacrifice that allowed her to live. Drea once again set out, this time to the Thorns to honor the man who’d saved her life. Years later, she returned… pregnant. She spoke not of the father, but when the boy was born, it became readily apparent why she would not speak of him. She showed the boy little love, only barely restrained resentment. She was distant when he was a babe and increasingly hostile towards him as the boy grew up. When he was old enough to wield a weapon, she attempted to teach him the ways of war. To make him “actually useful”, she said. As was the nature of his orcish blood, the boy did not fear battle. Yet, he did not embrace the clash of steel. Cunning was more his strong suit. The boy, named Gormax, began venturing off on his own into the Wretches, eager to evade the mother that he grew to hate in return. Drea had enrolled him in the local school, though life was not easier for Gormax there, either. As the only half-orc, Gormax got it worse from the human children than even the elves and half-elves. But he was not to be bullied. Two boys had cornered him in an alcove of the school… and emerged with horrific burns. These incidents increased in frequency. The boy was removed from Rustleland and shipped off to Maeron City to be apprenticed to the Great Master Alchemist Arno of the Machine Province, a half-elf familiar with the cruelties and prejudices of the humans. Gormax excelled in the field, becoming Arno's best apprentice. He even earned his own commission as a Master Alchemist, almost unheard of for a non-human, much less a half-orc. While not a warrior himself, he excelled in weapons of war, even working on the siege engines on the city walls. He returned to Rustleland only because he was informed his mother had fallen ill. On her deathbed, she told Gormax all about his father. Staying long enough only to bury his mother and her namesake hammer personally, the boy made his way back into the Wretches. Years passed and the boy that entered the Wretches emerged a changed man. He was covered in scars and had a haunted look to him. It was clear that the clothes he wore had been taken from those that did not survive the Wretches. The only thing that survived the trip completely intact was his coat, the only gift his mother had ever given him. Incredibly, Gormax found his father in the Flats, leading an army of miscreants and outcasts known as The Wild Legion. While The Legion was hesitant to accept him, they'd never seen a fighter the likes of Gormax. In short order, he proved himself worthy of joining the Wild Legion, accepted into it by Od'Tek himself. Grisha, Od'Tek's current wife, despised Gormax and she had her husband's ear. She whispered of conquest to Od'Tek and that the weaker races would prove unworthy and so would be crushed under Od'Tek's boot heel. 'With the Sword of the Outland King in hand and the might of the Wild Legion behind him, few could oppose them', she often told him. Gormax attempted to convince his father to clear away the Wretches and create a stronghold. From this stronghold, they would have a base to build upon and even retreat to, if need be. Od'Tek's vision would not be swayed and he dismissed both Gormax and his ideas, opting instead to place his son with the shamans, ordering him to make poultices and salves for the warriors. Gormax, as stubborn as his father, would not be dissuaded. However, the two clashed often and after a particularly bitter disagreement, Od'Tek claimed to not recognize Gormax as his son. While Gormax knew that he was no match for his father physically, the insult was too much for him to bear. The following day, at high noon, Gormax gathered his things and simply left the camp, turning his back on the Wild Legion. When word of the defeat of the Legion finally reached him, Gormax was furious. His fool father had marched to his death, but at least had taken Grisha with him. Without his fist, the rest of the Wild Legion scattered and let the rest of their foes walk away, unscathed. And so... Gormax, son of Od'Tek Grimface and Drea the Doomhammer, went looking for those who had defeated the Wild Legion. His heart was consumed by vengeance, but fate had other things in mind. Titles * Lord of Eakenhhold * Doctor * Founder of Gnawskitter Brewhouse Opinions on Party Members Ali - Ali and I didn't used to see eye-to-eye at first. I have seen her change throughout our travels together. From half-elf to elf, from reluctant ally to good friend. She is constantly underestimated and has a chip on her shoulder, which is unbeknownst to her, her greatest strength.. I had grown increasingly reliant on her help and support as time had gone by. It is my hope that she does not come to regret her choice to join the Infinite Eye and I hope that we never find ourselves across a battlefield from each other. Chan - Chan and I had a shaky start, but after a raucous night of drinking, I finally won him over. Never thought I'd have one friend, much less two. It is fascinating to see a man fight so hard with nothing but his fists. The focus required for that is nothing short of amazing. In the trials of the Sphinx, I saw him sacrifice himself, yet he managed to return to the world of the living. Though he was gone for a while, I was overjoyed to see him. The law he brings is in short supply these days and it is not something in my nature. He fell in battle against Blight, the third hand of Vecna. Though I miss my friend, I take comfort in the fact that it required nothing short of an evil demigod to remove him from this Plane. Dru - Much had been said about "The Great Thane" and I had watched him closely. Having spoken with him at length, he had struck me as a true priest of his faith, one that practices what he preaches. He was elected as leader, only to defer it! When I confronted him about it, he agreed to take the reigns... but I worried that perhaps he was stretching himself too thin. A sentiment that later proved itself true. There is steel in that dwarf, he simply needs to hone his edge. I respect him and consider him a good man. A man of honor, law, and right... All things that I am not. The unity he brought us is sorely missed, though his people needed his leadership far more than we did. Ella - I didn't know much about her. She disappeared only to reappear and she was with us very briefly. The only thing I'd gotten out of her is that she needed to record our deeds so that the ones that come next didn't commit the same mistakes we did. She wasn't much for strategy, often going off without a plan and trying to wing it by the bats of her eyelashes. I called her Pelor's Beautiful Idiot, but she was our idiot under my command. She deserved better than what she got, but it does me good to know that we avenged her. Jonford - My first thought about this guy was that he was a typical jar-head. I've never really had a friend before and I don't think I could find a better one. He's a skilled warrior: determined, covers my back, and best of all... he sure likes my scorpion venom moonshine. Jonford is definitely taking the reins a bit more, even lobbying for leadership. I did not know of his checkered past, but it matters little. Though he has rambled in ways akin to Raincar, it is clear that Jonford's mind is his own. He has been a good friend to me and I will not forsake him now. I often wonder though, what is so important to him that he refuses to accept death? I can only hope that he finds a cause worthy of his great determination. Katja - Ah, the famous Katja Hjarlmerson... the woman who went toe-to-toe with my father and indirectly caused his end. Though I knew little of her, I was envious of her for one reason: She faced my father on the battlefield as equals. Od'Tek never saw me as an equal, only as a tool to be used. In her battle with him, this woman probably knew him better than I ever will. Even though he slew her, she respected him still, and I see why he respected her in return. She was a great warrior and even I grew to respect her warrior spirit, fearlessness, and aggression. She faced impossible odds and drove her steel to the hilt. But for her, the battle is ended. Mikal - Probably one of the creepiest humans I had ever met in my entire life. As a Graveknight, he was a near-unstoppable force that I could count on to do what needed to be done. He was an outcast and I felt a need to be the friend to him that I myself had only had recently experienced with Jonford, Chan, and Ali. With his being restored to life, who knows if he will be the man he was before? It is my expectation that his experiences as a Graveknight have meshed with his previous life and that he combines the two to form a balance. He has the potential to be a great ruler and I have no doubt he will prove to be one. Pierce - She tends to keep to herself and her giant badger mostly, but has proven effective at times. She did awaken the giant tree in Nestholme. (I hope Patree doesn't decide to destroy us all...) Pierce is a bit of a morbid one, something I wouldn't have thought when I first met her. She will often ask me of the horrors that I encountered in the Wretches. Let me tell you, I have seen some horrific shit and I am such a sick son of a bitch, I often find humor in tragedy... It unnerved me a little that this little scamp did as well. This one bears watching. Her sudden departure was not surprising. We sow destruction, while she protects nature. Raincar - Now that I've studied him a little, I kind of see the method behind him. He's an absolute madman. A nutter to the core. But powerful. And dangerous. I've learned to forgive him for the death of my father. Raincar explained to me how they came to meet, their interactions, and why he felt he had to destroy him. Upon much reflection, I can see why he did it and can learn to live with it. His renegade nature can be both refreshing and frustrating. Though I am accustomed to clashing with him, I have seen him run roughshod over the others. There are different sides to him, some emerge only to disappear. The man has many abilities, skills, and knowledge and I will give him this: He is a good godsdamned wizard. When he and I are on the same page, we accomplish wonders. Though Raincar and I will probably never see eye-to-eye, I do consider him an ally. When the truth of his life was revealed to him by The Viovox, I saw his heart break and his spirits sink. Though part of me delighted in seeing his defeat, a greater part of me pitied him. May he gather the strength to endure and finally opt to break the cycle of his life. It is for the greater good, after all. Sliver - With all of the things I've seen in my life, I suppose it was only a matter of time before I witnessed a talking magical rat. He once like a child, not quite understanding what it exactly it is that he fought for. But he was and still is willing to fight, so though an odd ally, he is an ally all the same. He has grown increasingly verbose and wise in such a short time, that I thought it was the magic of the tree, affecting his mind. But while that is likely due to his short lifespan, one cannot deny that he has grown in power and wisdom. I was finally able to behold Sliver use his faith and knowledge to turn the Wretches into what I always suspected that they could be. I was devastated to learn that the Wretches would always be stronger due to Llolth's taint on this universe. I suspect that Sliver will return the World Pool to fight off the encroaching darkness on his terms.